re: Moving Forward... So you want to be a mythic raider.

I wanted to make a post here to clarify some of the confusion that invariably comes with an expansion being so fresh and full of changes.Those of you who have been recently added to the ranks of Red Branch might not realize some of these things so it's always good to post a refresher to keep everyone on the same page. If I've had the opportunity to speak with you at the time of your application to the guild or since then a lot of these points are going to be more reminders than actual fresh information but at the start of such an exciting time in our guild history it's important to make sure everyone starts on the same page. So here are a few things to remember

#1. Be patient and communicate well. In times of great excitement and anticipation we often make our biggest mistakes. So take a deep breath, re-read these things to remember and don't let your desire to raid and get loot override the fact the there will be some bumps in the road ahead. We have expandedfrom a group of 10-15 raiders to more than double those numbers, as a result there will some nights where adjustments and calibrations are being made that you won't always be aware of, which brings us to our next point.

#2. Don’t make it personal. When things happen within the guild that you feel is directed at you personally this is most often a result of you taking it and making it personal. At Red Branch we try to be fair in our evaluation of players. If you feel that you've been unjustly sat or didn't get a raid spot do not hesitate to get with me outside of the raid and I'll make the time necessary to explain what happened. I want to stress the outside of the raid part because often times during a raid there are multiple juggling acts going on and explaining to someone why they are being sat during a raid is unfair to the other players present in the raid. Point three follows with

#3. It’s not us it’s you. There is no nefarious plan where we are trying to keep you from getting the loot you deserve. What is really going on is that we are always attempting to put the guild first, that means we try to put each person in the guild in their best position to succeed. Sometimes that position is the bench. The welfare of the other 19 people will always be placed above the desires and welfare of the 1 who might be having issues right then, wiping us or bringing low damage/survivability to the fight. It’s important to realize that

#4 We want everyone to raid. There is nothing I like more than a feel good story about guy with zero heroic raiding experience learning to raid with excellence and becoming an integral part of our raiding core. Those stories aren't very common but I still like thinking the next one is just around the corner. That being said if someone else is doing what you do better than you don't whine about it expecting to create a revolution or sympathy for your case. Improve or if raiding at your current output level is where you want to be we'll be more than happy to help you find a guild that can appreciate your talents. I don't say that snarkily I genuinely mean it because the idea that all of the current active people we have will be able to raid mythic is false hope and I don't want to be delusional in my statements today. Which brings me to #7

#5. Home is where you make it (even if you do like to see homeboys naked.) I try to stress with each applicant the idea that their status within the guild is not tied to their ability to raid. Their status within the raid certainly is affected by their performance but we realize there are some people within the guild that simply don't have the time or the desire to put in the effort necessary to raid in a progression guild. However those of you who want to raid well will have to earn that spot based on your ability to excel at your role and integrate well into our culture.The determining factor used to measure your role effectiveness will be based on warcraft logs not a personal preference. Anyone confused about logs or how they will be used is welcome to speak with me further and I can explain the criteria that will be used and hopefully clear up any confusion in that matter.

#6. Be excellent to each other. I just want to remind you all that you are loved and your contributions to the guild are appreciated. We are moving forward to an exciting time and the reason we’ve been able to keep pushing and progressing isn't simply because of our excellence in raiding it is also a result of the fact that we genuinely enjoy each others company. This doesn't happen by accident so be willing to give up some sometimes in order to give someone else the chance to be a hero. Sappy sounding life lesson there which indicates I'm rambling so with that I'm out.